The Luxembourg minister of justice said yesterday (30 October) that the country is exploring the possibility of launching an online gambling monopoly.

The comments came following parliamentary questions from Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) MP Dan Biancalana, who asked what measures are planned for online gaming and sports betting, especially to prevent harms.

First reported by local media outlet RTL Today, justice minister Elisabeth Margue responded by stating the government is exploring of creating an online gambling monopoly, but said there were still many elements that needed to be worked out.

She said: “According to European case law, you can create such a monopoly, but then you must protect your citizens. There are also questions around geo-blocking. We are examining these issues internally with all concerned parties to determine what can be done, what must be done, and how far we should go if we proceed.

“These are complex questions and discussions are widely ongoing.”

The MP also questioned what was being done to prevent the rise of gaming machines that are often found in the Benelux country’s cafés.

The minister replied reforms are underway to allow National Lottery gaming terminals in these establishments and that all other such devices are to be banned.

Meanwhile, health minister Martine Deprez said Luxembourg has an agreement with the Centre for Excessive Behaviour and Behavioural Addictions (ZEV) to combat problem gambling.

As the number of people seeking help for addiction has nearly tripled between 2020 and 2024 to 100, the ZEV budget has increased from €220,000 in 2020 to €560,000 this year.

If Luxembourg does choose to launch a gambling monopoly, it will be bucking the trend in recent years that has seen such monopolies abolished in favour of competitive licensing systems.

This, of which Finland is the most recent example, has tended to happen due to fears that the monopoly system was channelling an unacceptably low number of people to the regulated system.

Source

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